I started my new job and I really love it. I have so much more freedom here. I mean, I have on jeans today and it isn't even Friday! WooHoo!!!! Charles and I went to Lake Texoma this past weekend and had a blast. We stayed on Tim's (one of the attorney's I work with) house boat Friday night and relaxed out on the lake all day Saturday. I rented a waverunner for a few hours on Saturday and it reminded me why I loved going to the lake when I was a kid. Growing up, my dad had two jet skiis, we had a travel trailer, my aunt and uncle had a travel trailer and my grandparents had a motorhome and a boat. Every weekend, we packed up and took off to Canton Lake and sometime we got adventerous and went to Kaw Lake instead. It was so much fun. And this weekend was like a blast from my past. I would love to buy a trailer at the lake and get some wave runners or a ski boat. If that ever happened, I may retire from riding my bike. But then again, I would go insane and would get fat, so maybe I would just take my bikes with me and ride while at the lake.

Friday night we attended some sort of Oklahoam Bar Association convention at Tanglewood Resort that was supposed to be a BIG party. But that really wasn't the case. It was big but not much of a party. We managed to make it fun anyway but by 11:00, I was ready for bed. I guess I am really getting old! Saturday we layed out on the boat and swam a little then rented the waverunner. I had Charles on the back at first and then Tim jumped on with me. And I managed to throw him off two seperate times going about 40 mph. And it wasn't intentional. But it was so funny! I almost peed my swimsuit becasue I was laughing so hard. It is just unfortunate that his wife and Michele (the other attorney int he office) didn't get to see it. Charles and I drove back to OKC Saturday evening and were in bed asleep by 10:00.

Sunday we woke up bright and early, like 5:30. We had to be in Tuttle for the Oklahoma State Time Trial by 7:30. The tt was just as bad as I remembered it to be two years ago when I did it. It is 25 miles and it hurts so bad. My butt muscles are still sore. I didn't feel very good and the tops of my feet are pretty sunburned so that was not really enjoyable in my cycling shoes. I missed the turn-around point and rode an extra 10 yards passed it. Then there was a 25 mph head wind all the way back into Tuttle. I lost so much time going back. I just felt so bad and my legs were trashed. I finished about 2 minutes faster than two years ago, but I am not happy with my time. My watts were much lower than I anticipated. But I won the 1/2 women's race, simply becasue I was the only one that entered that event. But, I have the OK state TT title anyway. I guess it looks good on resumes, huh?

So, I am still training for the duathlon coming up on July 9. I ran yesterday evening and then did an easy recovery ride on the bike. My left ankle (which I broke in high school and never had it repaired) gave me a little trouble during my run so hopefully it will hold up. It hasn't really bothered me much since I quit running 6 years ago, but last night it started hurting again. I may be re-thinking the whole duathlon thing if it continues to hurt. Tonight I am doing the BLN Tuesday Nighter crashfest ride. The winds are pretty calm today so hopefully it will be a safe ride. It should be a good workout anyway!

Charles and I are selling our road bikes from last year. They are both on EBay if anyone is interested. Charles is also selling his Bianchi mt. bike and his Redline cyclocross bike as well. Here is the link for our stuff: http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZleapin1QQhtZ-1

I am changing jobs. I am going to a firm where I will mainly do family practice. So, if you need a divorce, child custody, etc....please let me know. Hopefully I will make a little more money and have a more flexible schedule. Plus, whatever I make, will be my money as opposed to giving it all to my boss and letting him decide when to give me a little piece of it. He doesn't understand why I need to make more money. Hmmmm, where do I began with that? I went to seven years of college and lawschool after high school and I have a license to practice law. I have been out of law school for three years and I have 4 years experience. And he wonders why I need to make more that what my legal assistant makes? Granted she has five years ecperience with this firm, but she only has a high school diploma. She has no other education or training or any type of certificate. To me, that isn't fair. He told me that she needs to make more money becasue she is married and has two kids! What the heck does that have to do with it? And what does need matter anyway? If I were a millionaire but wanted to work, does that mean that becasue I don't need the money, I shouldn't get paid fairly for what type of job I do? Anyway, I think I am worth more than what I am being paid so I decided to go somewhere else, where I will get paid more. End of story.

As far as racing.....not much is happening. I have been streesed about the job decision and change that I really am not mentally ready to race. I have the State time trial coming up this Sunday, but that is it for right now. We pre-rode the course yesterday at 75% effort and it hurt. I am not used to the tt bike and I need to make some adjustments to make it feel better. Hopefully, I can get it dialed in by this weekend.

I have been running. I'm an getting ready for my very first duathlon. It is July 9 so I have a couple more weeks to get my legs in running shape.

Saturday morning I was up at 6:00 and on my tt bike by 6:30. We rode to Lake Overholser to do the third and final OKC Velo TT. The top two combined times win. The course is only 8 or so miles and is flat but always windy. It is an out and back course with a pretty sharp turn around. I really don't practice time trialing and I really don't like it much either. I am getting better though. It seems the more I do, the better I get. Go figure, huh? My goal last time was to finish in under 20 minutes. I have never done that time before. My first one was 21:30 ish. The second one I got 20:48 and was upset with myself that I didn't push harder. I waited too long to give it everything. So Saturday I was determined to get under 20 minutes. I was almost to the finish and my clock showed 17 minutes. I thought, "oh my gosh, I might get it this time". So I got really excited and started going all out. I crossed the line at 19:54. So not only did I get my goal of under 20 but I took nearly 2 minutes off my first time and 1 minute off my second time. I was stoked. The results aren't posted yet so I have no idea where I placed but either way, I am happy with my time. After the tt, we rode back home easy and then decided to go for a short run. I have commited myself to do the Draper Duathlon on July 9. I have about 3 weeks to get in running shape. We ran about 2 miles and I thought I was going to die. My legs hurt so bad. And Sunday, I could barely walk. We did a 3 1/2 hour ride early Sunday morning before it got too hot but my legs were on fire the entire ride. Every time I had to stand up on a hill, I thought my legs were going to fall off. It is true, running muscles are not the same as cycling muscles. Yesterday was a recovery ride and I felt so sluggish. What should have been easy was hurting. I am meeting Holly at my house at 5:00 tonight to ride to Norman to do the BLN ride. Hopefully I am feeling better by then. Oh and we got the rent house done. FINISHED!!!!! Charles is meeting a realtor there this afternoon to get it on the market. We cleaned it up on Saturday and it looks amazing! It is a total night and day difference from the first time I walked into that house 4 years ago. I wish I had pictures to show the before and after. It is enough to be on HGTV!

And my teammate, Shontell got 6th at Philly!!! She is awesome. She and Beth are doing Nature Valley this week. They are way more hard-core than I am.

Memorial Day TX crit

Memorial Day TX crit
Originally uploaded by cyclesq.

Tulsa tough sunday

Tulsa tough sunday (2)
Originally uploaded by cyclesq.

One of the hardest crits I have ever done.

Shontell podium Sunday

Shontell podium Sunday
Originally uploaded by cyclesq.

My teammates are AWESOME! They did so well this weekend. Two out of three podiums.....not too shabby!

Beth podium Saturday

Beth podium Saturday
Originally uploaded by cyclesq.

Tulsa was for sure Tough! The races were hard but alot of fun. The courses were great, the spectators were supportive and the payouts were unheard of. Not to mention the competition was pretty impressive. The New Zealand National road champion racing for the European team, Univega, was there and won 2 out of the 3 races. Jen McRae and Andrea Hannos (McAdams) were in full force as well. As a team, we did very well. Individually, I din't perform as well as I wanted to. We won the team overall competition so that was good. Shontell took 4th on Friday night. Beth solo'd for 2nd Saturday and Shontell won the pack sprint for 2nd on Sunday. They both did really well. I managed to finish in the money on Saturday in 15th place. Sunday, I was caught behing a crash and never re-attached to the group. The hills killed my legs and it was nearly 100 degrees. I didn't feel too great but that is how it goes sometimes. I am ready for a break for a little while. I am doing some local stuff but that is it for now. No more traveling, at least for a few weeks. My life is sorting coming unraveled and racing is going to take a back seat for now. I have a job interview this afternoon so maybe some good luck will finally come my way!

We are off to T-Town this afternoon for Tulsa Tough. We race tonight at 8:00, tomorrow night at 7:00 and Sunday afternoon at 2:00. It is supposed to be really nice weather and not too hot, so it should be lots of fun. I heard that the Mayor of Tulsa has declared tomorrow "Tulsa Tough Day"! So, it should be a good spectator turnout. It is supposed to be big party time as well so hopefully I am not too tired from racing to enjoy myself!

TX crit podium picture

TX crit podium picture
Originally uploaded by cyclesq.

This is my good friend and teammate, Beth, on the left who placed 2nd at the TX crit championships. My friend Ally B is ontop in 1st place and Jen McRae, one of the top sprinters in the US and one of the nicest racers in the world on the right, in 3rd place.

Post crash TX State Crit

Post crash TX State Crit
Originally uploaded by cyclesq.

Post crash just pedaling around trying to keep myself entertained for the last half of the race.